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Ozone and Cli­ma­te Fri­end­ly Coo­ling in West and Cen­tral Af­ri­ca (RO­CA)

The ROCA project promotes ozone- and climate-friendly cooling technologies in the four African countries Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali and Senegal. It started in April 2021 and will run until March 2024. 

Map with partner countries

Partner Countries

RAC appliances are spreading rapidly across Africa, particularly in the cities. In rural areas, on the other hand, there is still a lack of refrigeration equipment for agriculture and medical care. The rising number of RAC will contribute to increased energy needs as well as the use of refrigerant gases, many of which are highly damaging to the ozone layer and the global climate. To limit this dual impact, it is necessary to introduce a wide range of ozone- and climate-friendly cooling solutions.

Technicians at a training for Senegal's network of women in refrigeration, February 2023

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ROCA (Refroidissement respectueux de l'Ozone et du Climat en Afrique de l'Ouest et Centrale) contributes to an increasing use of Green Cooling technologies through improving the policy and regulatory framework on the one hand and building capacity for the use of such technologies on the other.

ROCA includes the following measures: 

  • Analysing current and future cooling demands in the partner countries (RAC inventories)
  • Advisory services for the governments, based on RAC inventories and assessment of existing policies
  • Trainings of RAC technicians on safe handling of natural refrigerants online and in Germany (Cool Trainings) as well as in the partner countries
  • regional workshops on climate finance and business models to promote the accelerated adoption of ozone- and climate-friendly as well as energy-efficient appliances using natural refrigerants
  • Pilot projects using Green Cooling technologies; e.g.
    • Air Conditioning: R290-ACs for public buildings
    • Food Security:
      • cold rooms for agricultural cooperatives in Mali and Senegal;
      • an ice machine for a fishermen's cooperative in Senegal
      • a cold chain between the slaughterhouse and the market in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
    • Good Health: cooling for vaccines in Burkina Faso and for a hospital in Cameroon

The project is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Pro­kli­ma Im­pact Sto­ries

Let us give the word to people in our project countries.

Learn more about Alimata

"As refrigeration technicians, we contribute to environmental pollution and global warming", explains Alimata COULIBALY KINDO, trainer in refrigeration and air conditioning . Her sector is responsible for up to 13% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are caused by the high electricity consumption of the appliances and the high global warming potential of the refrigerants in use. In October 2022, Ms Coulibaly took part in our Cool Training. "In the GIZ Cool Training, I learnt how to use natural refrigerants to reduce pollution and save energy."
One year later, she says that she uses the content of the training in her lessons. She says: "Other generations will come after us. So we are all called upon to protect this planet!"

Country: Burkina Faso

Project: ROCA (opens in a new window)

Donors: European Union, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Listen to Alimata and other Cool Training participants who explain the advantages of natural refrigerants:

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Learn more about Simplice

Simplice Tirogo is a nurse and head of the centre for health care and social support in Tovor, Burkina Faso. The project 'Ozone and Climate Friendly Cooling in West and Central Africa (ROCA)' supported his health care centre with a vaccine refrigerator in 2023. "Our refrigerator was broken since 2020, so the vaccines had to be stored in a neighbouring village. Each time, we had to travel 15 km to bring back the vaccines in a transport box that lasted cold during only a day or two. That means, the cold chain was not sufficient and many vaccines spoiled", explains Simplice Tirogo. "Since we received the refrigerator, we can store the vaccines and keep them fresh on site. We can now instantly immunise the pregnant women and the children who come here and whose vaccinations had to be postponed before. This is very satisfying. I thank all partners who made this possible."

The new refrigerators in Tovor and other municipalities are even more climate-friendly than the previous ones: they are very energy-efficient and run on the natural refrigerant isobutane (R600a). The necessary electricity comes from solar panels, which were also procured by ROCA.

Country: Burkina Faso

Project: ROCA (opens in a new window)

Donors: European Union, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

More stories coming soon...

La­test News

Trai­ning ref­ri­ge­ra­ti­on tech­ni­ci­ans in the in­for­mal sec­tor to pro­mo­te Green Coo­ling

16.10.2023 , News :

Natural refrigerants are the environmentally friendly alternative to refrigerants that deplete the ozone layer and cause greenhouse gas emissions. However, their use requires specific theoretical and practical qualifications so that technicians and even operators can work on refrigeration systems in complete safety.

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In Senegal, the refrigeration and air conditioning sector is largely maintained by technicians from the informal sector. These technicians are the first people households turn to when their refrigeration equipment (fridge or air conditioner) breaks down. Also known as refrigeration craftsmen, most of them come from the traditional apprenticeship provided in Individual Production Units (UPI). This traditional apprenticeship is a socially instituted approach to vocational training. It is given on the job and generally concerns people with a low level of education. Traditional apprenticeships lack technical supervision and are not organised on an institutional basis. The teaching is not based on any organised training system that guarantees the transmission of good practices in the refrigeration trade. 

Concerns about the depletion of the ozone layer and the climate crisis are addressed by international conventions and protocols ratified by Senegal. These make it possible to reduce and gradually eliminate the use of substances that deplete the ozone layer and greenhouse gas emissions. Natural refrigerants are promoted because they are more environment friendly and, for the most part, have no impact on the ozone layer and contribute little or not at all to the greenhouse effect. However, their use requires the mastery of a number of health, safety and technical challenges, relating to toxicity, flammability or very high operating pressures.  This situation requires anticipation of all the measures needed to ensure the safe handling of refrigeration systems operating with these alternative refrigerants. In order to avoid any harmful eventualities, work on these installations requires specific theoretical and practical qualifications to enable technicians and even operators to work on refrigeration equipment in complete safety.

The ROCA project, in partnership with Senegal's Bureau Nationale Ozone (BNO), is aware of the importance of getting all levels of technicians on board for an effective transition to green cooling and has strengthened the capacities of 24 refrigeration craftsmen on the theme of "THE USE OF NATURAL REFRIGERANTS IN HOUSEHOLD COOLING APPLIANCES".

The training, which covered techniques for handling hydrocarbon refrigerants, is focused specifically on:  

  • International agreements governing refrigerants
  • Impact of refrigerants on the environment
  • Safety rules for work on circuits charged with hydrocarbons 
  • Good practices 
  • Preventive and corrective maintenance of a household refrigeration system using hydrocarbons 

The ROCA project (Ozone and Climate Friendly Cooling in West and Central Africa) (opens in a new window) is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ Proklima (opens in a new window).